'We've very less space': Rima Das on indie cinema's plight
What's the story
Acclaimed filmmaker Rima Das has voiced her concern over the shrinking opportunities for independent cinema in India. She stressed the need for intervention from both the government and the exhibition sector to ensure that indie films get their due space. "For independent filmmakers, we have very less space for us. It shouldn't be like that we become invisible; I'm hopeful that it should not happen," she told PTI.
Call for balance
'We need to figure out how we can balance'
Das, who is known for her film Village Rockstars, said there should be a system in place to ensure indie films get their fair share of visibility. "I feel there should be a system; we together need to figure out what is happening and how we can balance that," she added. She also stressed the need for government support and initiatives from the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) and state governments.
Visibility disparity
'Commercial big cinemas have that kind of budget'
Das pointed out that big-budget films always get more attention and visibility than indie films. "I always believe in balancing things... But they're already having commercial big cinemas, they have that kind of budget, and they're already getting that visibility mostly everywhere," she said.
Screening spaces
Das calls for more theaters
Das also stressed the need for dedicated theaters to screen independent films in every city. She said that while her films, like Village Rockstars, have managed to create enough buzz, it's still a challenge to get visibility. "We couldn't create visibility, later...people were asking, 'We wanted to watch it.' So, if we can have theaters in every city and some places, then it will help," she added.
Film festival
'My Melbourne' screened at IFFI
Das is currently at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), where her film My Melbourne was screened. She expressed happiness over the response, saying it was a full house. "There's a lot of warmth, love. When we're talking about 'My Melbourne,' the next season is also happening." "This should keep happening more and more because this is a building cultural exchange," she said.
Industry support
Das's remarks come amid multiplexes' refusal to screen 'Agra'
Das's comments come after director Kanu Behl recently expressed disappointment over his film Agra not getting screens in multiplexes. This sparked a joint statement from over 40 filmmakers, including Nandita Das, Payal Kapadia, Vasan Bala, Chaitanya Tamhane, Alankrita Shrivastava, Varun Grover, Raam Reddy, and Honey Trehan. The statement highlighted the declining space for independent films in India.